Wheel-fender.



C. W. MALLINS.

WHEEL FENDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8.1912. 1,181,605. Patented May 2,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

m5 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,, QIAsmNu'mN. n. c.

CHARLES W. MALLINS, OF BLUNDELLSANDS, NEAR LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

WHEEL-FENDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Application filed. June 8, 1912. Serial No. 702,527.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES WILLIAM MALLINS, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, and residing in Blundellsands, near Liverpool, in thecounty of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Wheel-Fenders, of which the following is specification.

This invention relates to Wheel fenders for tram-cars and the likevehicles, and refers more particularly to improvements in that type ofwheel fender known as the pilot type life-guard which comprises a boardor buffer, carried mainly by the truck-frame of the car and extendingaround the ear outside the wheels, the front sides and the rear sideforming Vs, the respective apices of which extend under the platform.This guard is carried down as nearly to the ground as is practicable,but for obvious reasons there must be a narrow space between the bottomof the guard and the roadway, and it is the object of the presentinvention to provide an additional guard for this space, so arrangedthat it shall by an act of the driver, or automatically, move so as toclose-in the said space and so prevent any small obj cot-a childs armfor instance from being drawn in under the pilot guard.

Broadly described the invention comprises an extension guard carried onthe V shaped front and rear of the pilot guard, and so articulated andcontrolled that the bottom of the extension guard is normally quiteclear of the road-way, but so that when the driver foresees thepossibility of an accident he may, by a momentary act, instantly release the extension guard, and, where desired, the arrangement may besuch that when a movable buffer or the like meets an obstruction theextension guard is automatically released; in either case, upon release,the extension guard drops so that the bottom edge rests on the ground,the extension guard covering-in and protecting the space between thebottom of the pilot guard and the ground. The release of the extensionguard may also bring a brake into operation, so as to bring the car to astandstill.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;Figure 1 is an elevation of a car fitted with the pilotguard with thepresent invention applied thereto, but without the automatic features,Fig. 2 being a corresponding part plan view of the pilot-guard and theextension guard, and Flgs. 3 and 4 being detail views. Fig. 5 1s a view,similar to Fig. 1, and showing an alternative form of the invention inwhich the extension guard may be released either automatically, when abuffer meets an obstruction, or independently by the driver, the releaseof the extension guard operating a brake; Fig. 6 is a corresponding partplan. Fig. 7 is an elevation of a further modification.

Referring in the first instance to Figs. 1 to 4;A is the V shaped partof the pilotguard which extends in front and in rear of the wheels, thefront part only being shown, and B is the movable extension guardcarried on the pilot-guard; it will be understood that an arrangement asshown will be in front whether the car be running in the one directionor the other. The extension guard may be articulated to the guard in anyconvenient manner; according to the mode illustrated, the extensionguard is provided with a series of oblique slots 6 in each of whichloosely fits a stud C secured to the guard by screws 0 the body part cof the stud guiding the slots, and the head 0 retaining the extensionguard in position laterally. If otherwise unsupported the extensionguard would, either by virtue of its weight, or by its weight assistedby a spring 5, located in a recess formed in the guard and extensionguard, drop until its lower edges made contact with the ground. It is,however, normally held up by any suitable form of catch adapted to beinstantly released by the driver; the form of catch illustrated consistsof a detent lever D located in a recess al in the guard A, and pivotedto the latter by a pin a; this lever is urged outwardly by a spring (Pso that its detent edge (5* engages with the metal edges 0 housed in arecess 0 in the extension guard. The releasing means illustrated consistof a wire mechanism E carried to a position, just in front of thedriver, say on the controller, in an electric car; the operating handlee being connected to the wire 6 attached to the lever D. The front edgesof the two inelined sides forming the extension guard are connected by ametal strap 0 suflicient clearance being allowed to permit the rear wardmovement of the extension guard.

Instead of using slots and studs to connect the extension guard to thepilot guard. it may be pivotally attached to the pilot guard by levers,and the releasing means may consist of levers and rods and may beadapted to be operated by the drivers foot. The lower edge of theextension guard is provided with an elastic buffer, say rubber beltingor rubber piping, and it may be covered with a soft and yieldingmaterial.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the extension guard isarticulated to the guard as described, but it is normally held up by adetent-lever F, pivoted at and having three arms f, f and f; the arm 7"engages with a cross bar 0 fixed to the extension guard, and the leveris held in the engaging position by a spring f and is adapted to bereleased either by the engagement with the arm f of the tail 9 of thebuffer G, when the latter meets an obstruction, or by the engagementwith the arm f of the tail h of the punch H, when the latter is operatedby the drivers foot. In this arrangement a shield I; is fitted; thisshield is pivoted at f and is supported by the nose of the extensionguard, being released and closing in the space between the apex of theguard and the ground when the extension guard drops.

The release of the extension guard may be caused to operate a brake, andI have shown in Fig. 5 one arrangement for effecting this. The arm f hasan extension f which is connected, preferably by a wire f to one end ofa bell-crank lever 0 the trigger 0 of which normally keeps the brakeblock 0 clear of the wheel. On the release of the extension guard thetrigger 0 is pulled clear of O, which latter is then, under theinfluence of the spring 0 forced into contact with the wheel. A similararrangement may be fitted to each of the car wheels, so as to bring thecar to a stand still on the release of the extension guard. If desired,the release of the extension guard may be caused to operate a brakethrough pneumatic or electromagnetic means.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, the arm f of the lever F isconnected by a wire m to a lever m, pivoted at m and provided with apivoted buffer M which, when an obstruction is encountered, releases thelever F, thus forming an additional safeguard. The buifer M is adapted,when in the rear, to be turned into the vertical position, as shown indotted lines. The two sides of the extension guard are connectedtogether by stays such as N. The lever arm 7 may be fitted with anadjustable screwed shank so that its length may be varied to provide forwear of the wheels, so as to maintain the proper height at the loweredge of the extension guard. IVhen the extension guard has beenreleased, it is of course returned to the engaged position in anyconvenient manner.

Having now fully described my invention,

I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent :is;

1. In life guards for tram cars or the like, in combination; a fixedpilot guard extending around the wheel base and carried mainly from thetruck frame of the car; an extension guard articulated to but verticallymovable relatively to the fixed guard, which extension guard in itsupper position is clear of the roadway, and in its lower position coversin the space between the bottom of the fixed guard and the roadway;supporting means adapted to normally hold the extension guard in itsupper position, and a device adapted to release the t supporting means,substantially as described.

2. In life guards for tram cars or the like, in combination; a fixedpilot guard extending around the wheel base and carried mainly from thetruck frame of the car, the front and rear sides of the said fixed guardconverging together to form a V; an extension guard articulated to butvertically mo able relatively to the said sides, which extension guardin its upper position is clear of the roadway, and in its lower positioncovers in the space between the bottom of the pilot guard and the roadway, supporting means adapted to normally hold the extension guard inits upper position, and a device adapted to release the supportingmeans, substantially as described.

In life guards for tram cars or the like, in combination; a fixed pilotguard extending around the wheel base and carried mainly from the truckframe of the car; an extension guard articulated to but verticallymovable relatively to the pilot guard, which extension guard in itsupper position is clear of the roadway, and in its lower position coversin the space between the bottom of the pilot guard and the roadway;supporting means adapted to normally hold the extension guard in itsupper position. and a device adapted to release the supporting means,said device being adapted to be actuated by the driver or when anobstruction is encountered, substantially as described.

4. In life guards for tram cars or the like. in combination; a fixedpilot guard extending around the wheel base and carried mainly from thetruck frame of the car; an extension guard articulated to but verticallymovable relatively to the fixed guard, which extension guard in itsupper position is clear of the roadway, and in its lower position coversin the space between the bottom of the fixed guard and the roadway:supporting means adapted to normally hold the extension guard in itsupper position. a device adapted to release the supporting means, saiddevice being adapted to be actuated bv the driver or when an obstructionis encountered, and a brake device normally held inoperatii'e bymeanswhich are released by the said releasing device, substantially asdescribed.

5. In life guards for tram cars or the like, in combination; a fixedpilot guard extending around the wheel base and carried mainly from theunder frame of the car; an extension guard articulated to but movablerelatively to the fixed guard, which extension guard in its upperposition is clear of the roadway, and in its lower position covers inthe space between the bottom of the fixed guard and the roadway,supporting means adapted to normally hold the extension guard in itsupper position, a device adapted to release the extension guard, saiddevice consisting of a shaft pivoted on the fixed guard, said shaftcarrying a lever adapted to hold the extension guard in its upperposition, but which is released when angular movement is imparted to theshaft, means operated by the driver for imparting angular movement tothe shaft, means adapted to be operated when an obstruction isencountered for imparting angular movement to the shaft, a brakenormally held clear of the vehicle wheels by a detent, and a lever onthe shaft of the releasing device connected to the brake re leasingdevice and adapted to operate the latter when angular movement isimparted to the shaft, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a fixed pilot guard, of an extension guardhaving oblique slots formed therein and attached to said fixed guard,studs carried by said fixed pilot guard and sliding in the oblique slotsof said extension guard in an elevated position and means for releasingsame, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a fixed guard having a V-shaped front and rear,of an extension guard vertically movable relatively thereto, means forsupporting and means for releasing said extension guard, a shield, saidshield being pivoted to the fixed guard and adapted to be normally heldclear of the fixed guard by the extension guard and when the extensionguard is released to close in the space between the apex of the fixedguard and the ground, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

C. W. MALLINS. Witnesses:

J. E. LLOYD BARNES, JOSEPH E. HIRSH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0.

